U.S. patent number 8,587,931 [Application Number 12/735,195] was granted by the patent office on 2013-11-19 for junction block.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Yazaki Corporation. The grantee listed for this patent is Kazuomi Kiyosue, Akinori Nakashima, Hiroki Shiraiwa, Tomohiro Sugiura, Minoru Umezaki, Noriyoshi Yamazaki. Invention is credited to Kazuomi Kiyosue, Akinori Nakashima, Hiroki Shiraiwa, Tomohiro Sugiura, Minoru Umezaki, Noriyoshi Yamazaki.
United States Patent |
8,587,931 |
Shiraiwa , et al. |
November 19, 2013 |
Junction block
Abstract
The present invention provides a junction block adapted
adaptable for a variety of vehicles without increase of cost. The
junction block includes a circuit board 2, a terminal block 3 for
low-grade use to be connected to the circuit board, a bus bar block
4 superimposed on the terminal block and connected to the circuit
board, a cover 9 for covering the circuit board from side of the
bus bar block, and a plurality of fuses 39,39' to be connected to
terminals 14a, 19a of the terminal block and the bus bar block,
wherein the junction block is adaptable for a variety of vehicles
with or without use of the bus bar block.
Inventors: |
Shiraiwa; Hiroki (Shizuoka,
JP), Kiyosue; Kazuomi (Shizuoka, JP),
Nakashima; Akinori (Shizuoka, JP), Sugiura;
Tomohiro (Shizuoka, JP), Yamazaki; Noriyoshi
(Shizuoka, JP), Umezaki; Minoru (Shizuoka,
JP) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Shiraiwa; Hiroki
Kiyosue; Kazuomi
Nakashima; Akinori
Sugiura; Tomohiro
Yamazaki; Noriyoshi
Umezaki; Minoru |
Shizuoka
Shizuoka
Shizuoka
Shizuoka
Shizuoka
Shizuoka |
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A |
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
Yazaki Corporation (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
40801073 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/735,195 |
Filed: |
December 12, 2008 |
PCT
Filed: |
December 12, 2008 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/JP2008/072658 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
October 12, 2010 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2009/081767 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
July 02, 2009 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20110043969 A1 |
Feb 24, 2011 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 21, 2007 [JP] |
|
|
2007-329989 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/630; 361/624;
361/752 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K
1/0263 (20130101); H01R 13/68 (20130101); H01R
9/2466 (20130101); H05K 1/0295 (20130101); H01R
2201/26 (20130101); H05K 2201/09954 (20130101); H05K
2201/10272 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H02G
3/08 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;361/624,630,752
;174/68.2,252 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
1530411 |
|
May 2005 |
|
EP |
|
1674346 |
|
Jun 2006 |
|
EP |
|
1674346 |
|
Jun 2006 |
|
EP |
|
55-12728 |
|
Jan 1980 |
|
JP |
|
1-166417 |
|
Nov 1989 |
|
JP |
|
09-092987 |
|
Apr 1997 |
|
JP |
|
09-312919 |
|
Dec 1997 |
|
JP |
|
10-285750 |
|
Oct 1998 |
|
JP |
|
2006-006069 |
|
Jan 2006 |
|
JP |
|
2006-333583 |
|
Dec 2006 |
|
JP |
|
2007-228757 |
|
Sep 2007 |
|
JP |
|
Other References
Notification of Reason for Refusal issued on Jun. 26, 2012 for
corresponding Japanese Application No. 2007-329989 with English
translationl. cited by applicant .
Supplementary European Search Report dated Feb. 7, 2012, issued for
the European patent application No. 08864227.7. cited by applicant
.
International Search Report dated Mar. 10, 2009, issued on
PCT/JP2008/072658. cited by applicant .
Australian Patent Examination Report No. 1 issued on Dec. 11, 2012
for corresponding Australian Application No. 2008341974. cited by
applicant .
Office Action dated Aug. 31, 2012, issued for the corresponding
Canadian patent application No. 2 709 788. cited by applicant .
Chinese Notification of the First Office Action issued on Oct. 25,
2012 for corresponding Chinese Application No. 200880126358.1.
cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Vortman; Anatoly
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A junction block comprising: a circuit board; a terminal block
formed by a plurality of terminals having one terminal portion to
be connected to the circuit board by soldering and another terminal
portion to be connected to a fuse, and an insulating first block
main body receiving the plurality of terminals, wherein the
insulating first block main body is mounted on one surface of the
circuit board; a bus bar block formed by an insulating second block
main body to be superposed on a top surface of the first block main
body of the terminal block and a plurality of bus bars having one
terminal portion to be connected to the circuit board by soldering
and another terminal portion to be connected to the fuse, wherein
the plurality of bus bars is received in the second block main
body; a cover for covering the circuit board from side of the bus
bar block; and a plurality of fuses to be connected to the another
terminal portions of the terminal block and the bus bar block,
wherein the junction block is adaptable for use with or without use
of the bus bar block.
2. The junction block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bus bar
block includes the second block main body having a hole, the cover
having a pin engaging the hole, the circuit board having a small
hole allowing the pin to be screwed with a screw member.
3. The junction block as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first
block main body of the terminal block is made of a high-heat
resistance resin and the second block main body of the bus bar
block is made of a low-heat resistance resin.
4. The junction block as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover
comprises a rib for allowing abutment of a rear surface of a bent
portion of a bus bar of the bus bar block.
5. The junction block as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rib has
stepwise a low projection portion and a high projection portion,
the low projection portion supporting the bus bar, and the high
projection portion abutting the rear surface of the bent
portion.
6. The junction block as claimed in claim 1, wherein terminals of
the terminal portions are inserted in and held with the first block
main body of the terminal block, the cover having a rib for
allowing abutment of a rear surface of the first block main body of
the terminal block.
7. The junction block as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cover
comprises a rib for allowing abutment of a rear surface of a bent
portion of a bus bar of the bus bar block, the rib being arranged
to be subjected to an insertion force of the fuses.
8. The junction block as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cover
comprises a rib for allowing abutment of a rear surface of a bent
portion of a bus bar of the bus bar block, the rib being arranged
to be subjected to an insertion force of the fuses.
9. The junction block as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rib has
stepwise a low projection portion and a high projection portion,
the low projection portion supporting the bus bar, and the high
projection portion abutting the rear surface of the bent
portion.
10. The junction block as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rib has
stepwise a low projection portion and a high projection portion,
the low projection portion supporting the bus bar, and the high
projection portion abutting the rear surface of the bent
portion.
11. The junction block as claimed in claim 2, wherein terminals of
the terminal portions are inserted in and held with the first block
main body of the terminal block, the cover having a rib for
allowing abutment of a rear surface of the first block main body of
the terminal block.
12. The junction block as claimed in claim 3, wherein terminals of
the terminal portions are inserted in and held with the first block
main body of the terminal block, the cover having a rib for
allowing abutment of a rear surface of the first block main body of
the terminal block.
13. The junction block as claimed in claim 4, wherein terminals of
the terminal portions are inserted in and held with the first block
main body of the terminal block, the cover having a rib for
allowing abutment of a rear surface of the first block main body of
the terminal block.
14. The junction block as claimed in claim 5, wherein terminals of
the terminal portions are inserted in and held with the first block
main body of the terminal block, the cover having a rib for
allowing abutment of a rear surface of the first block main body of
the terminal block.
15. The junction block as claimed in claim 7, wherein terminals of
the terminal portions are inserted in and held with the first block
main body of the terminal block, the cover having a rib for
allowing abutment of a rear surface of the first block main body of
the terminal block.
16. The junction block as claimed in claim 8, wherein terminals of
the terminal portions are inserted in and held with the first block
main body of the terminal block, the cover having a rib for
allowing abutment of a rear surface of the first block main body of
the terminal block.
17. The junction block as claimed in claim 9, wherein terminals of
the terminal portions are inserted in and held with the first block
main body of the terminal block, the cover having a rib for
allowing abutment of a rear surface of the first block main body of
the terminal block.
18. The junction block as claimed in claim 10, wherein terminals of
the terminal portions are inserted in and held with the first block
main body of the terminal block, the cover having a rib for
allowing abutment of a rear surface of the first block main body of
the terminal block.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates a junction block commonly adaptable
for a variety of vehicles.
RELATED ART
FIG. 14 shows one embodiment of a conventional junction block
(refer to Patent Document 1).
The junction block 71 includes a circuit board 73 mounting a
variety of electronic components 72, connector blocks 75 disposed
on the right and left side of the circuit board 73 and connected
with terminals 74 to the circuit board 73, and fuse block 77
disposed on a front side of the circuit board 73 and connected with
terminals 76. he circuit board 73 and the blocks 75, 77 are covered
with an upper and a lower cover (not shown) while opening portions
75a, 77a of the respective blocks 75, 77 are exposed.
The connector blocks 75 each include a connector housing 75 (the
same reference numeral is used) made of an insulation resin and the
substantially L-shaped terminals 74. One end of each terminal 74 is
fitted into the connector housing and the other end thereof is
solder-connected to the circuit board 73. The fuse block 77
includes the substantially L-shaped terminals 76, each one end
thereof being fitted into a fuse holder 78 (block main body) made
of an insulation resin and the other end thereof being
solder-connected to the circuit board 73, bus bars (not shown) each
having a comb shape, being made from a conductive metal and fitted
into the fuse holder 78, and a connector 80 receiving one side of
the each bus bar for supplying electrical power.
The fuse holder 78 receives a plurality of blade type fuses (not
shown) arranged in an upper and a lower layer and extending
parallel to right and left. The respective fork-shaped terminals
(pinch terminals) of a pair of the upper and the lower terminal 76
and a pair of the upper and the lower bus bar are fitted into the
upper and the lower receiving chambers 77a corresponding to the
pair of the upper and the lower terminal of the fuse. The connector
80 is connected with the battery or an alternator power.
Patent Document 1 also discloses a terminal holder (not shown)
connected to the fuse holder 78 and receiving L-shaped terminals 76
in the respective layers instead of the bus bars described above. A
copper core layer (not shown) is disposed midway in the thickness
of the circuit board 73. Patent Document 1: JP 2006-333583 (FIG. 6
and FIGS. 1-2).
The conventional junction block 71 has a drawback for increase of
power supply circuits required depending on the vehicles. The
different configurations adapted for the respective vehicles
require new designs with a different number of layers of the fuse
block 77, resulting in increase of cost.
As the number of the layers of the fuse block 77 increases,
assembly efficiency of the fuse block 77 to the circuit board 73 or
the cover decreases. The fuse block (fuse holder 78) is easily
subjected to deformation due to heat of soldering for connecting
the terminals 76 to the circuit board 73. It is thus necessary to
use the fuse holder 78 having a high heat resistance to prevent the
deformation. The fuse holder 78 with many layers results in high
cost. The conventional junction block has a concern that when the
fuse is inserted into a fuse connection terminal, the terminal is
subjected to a strong press force in an insertion direction which
have a deleterious effect on the solder connection portion of the
circuit board 73, especially when a plurality of the fuses are
inserted into a plurality of the fuse connection terminals having a
single terminal.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is to provide a junction block without
increase of cost caused by grades of vehicles. The junction block
of the present invention improves an assembly of a fuse block,
prevents a thermal influence to the fuse block with low cost, and
prevents deleterious effect on a board connection portion of a
terminal when the fuse is inserted.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a junction
block includes a circuit board; a terminal block to be connected to
the circuit board; a bus bar block capable of being superposed on
the terminal block and being connected to the circuit board; a
cover for covering the circuit board from side of the bus bar
block; and a plurality of fuses to be connected to terminal
portions of the terminal block and the bus bar block, wherein the
junction block is adaptable for a variety of vehicles with or
without use of the bus bar block.
Thereby, the low-grade vehicle has the junction block without
mounting the bus bar block. The high-grade vehicle has the junction
block mounting the bus bar block and utilizes other common parts.
The bus bar block includes a block main body made of an insulation
resin and the bus bar. The bus bar mainly works as a power supply
bus bar and is connected to a conductive metal core layer or a
print circuit of the circuit board. The terminal block includes an
insulation block main body and a terminal. The bus bar or the
terminal has the terminal portions to be connected to a fuse and
the circuit board.
Preferably, the bus bar block has a block main body having a hole,
the cover having a pin engaging the hole, the circuit board having
a small hole allowing the pin to be screwed with a screw
member.
Thereby, the bus bar block is positioned to the cover with the pin.
The circuit board is positioned and fixed to the pin with the screw
and the bus bar is also positioned. Thus, the terminal portions of
the bus bar block are properly positioned to the hole of the
circuit board, smoothly inserted to the hole of the circuit board,
and solder-connected to the circuit board. A base portion is
utilized for positioning the bus bar block and minimizing the
junction block.
Preferably, the block main body of the terminal block is made of a
high-heat resistance resin and the block main body of the bus bar
block is made of a low-heat resistance resin.
Thereby, the block main body of the bus bar block is disposed on
the terminal block adjacent the circuit board. The thermal
influence during solder connection between the circuit board and
the bus bar or the terminal block is not transferred to the bus bar
block main body. The low heat resistance resin is thus
utilized.
Preferably, the cover has a rib for allowing abutment of a rear
surface of a bent portion of the bus bar of the bus bar block and
accepting an insertion force of the fuse.
When the fuse is inserted into a terminal of the bus bar, the bus
bar is usually pushed toward insertion direction. The abutment of
the bus bar on the rib of the cover permits the rib to accept the
push force and prevents transfer of the force to a connection
portion (solder portion) between the bus bar and the circuit board
and an excess load of stress on a soldered portion.
Preferably, the rib has stepwise a low projection portion and a
high projection portion, the low projection portion supporting the
bus bar, and the high projection portion abutting the rear surface
of the bent portion.
Thereby, the low projection portion of the rib horizontally
supports the bus bar and prevents bending (flexure) of the bus bar
in the thickness direction. The high projection portion of the rib
abuts a vertical rear surface of the bus bar and accepts the force
of the bus bar in the insertion direction of the fuse (horizontal
direction).
Preferably, terminals of the terminal portions are inserted in and
held with the block main body of the terminal block, the cover
having a rib for allowing abutment of the rear surface of the block
main body of the terminal block and accepting the insertion force
of the fuse.
When the fuse is inserted into the terminal portion of the terminal
for fuse connection, the terminal is pushed into the insertion
direction of the fuse together with the terminal block main body.
Thereby, the abutment of the terminal block main body on the rib of
the cover allows the rib for accepting the insertion force,
preventing the transmission of the force to the connection portion
(soldered portion) between the terminal and the circuit board, and
preventing load of the excess stress on the soldered portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a
junction block of the present invention;
FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a circuit board
assembly for low-grade vehicles;
FIG. 2B is a side view of the embodiment of the circuit board
assembly for low-grade vehicles;
FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a circuit board
assembly for high-grade vehicles;
FIG. 3B is a side view of the embodiment of the circuit board
assembly for high-grade vehicles;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a bus bar block
for high-grade vehicles;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a circuit board
assembly product for low-grade vehicles;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a circuit board
assembly product for high-grade vehicles;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an inner
cover;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the inner cover having the bus bar
block;
FIG. 9 is a plan view of the circuit board having the bus bar
block;
FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the circuit board assembly
for high-grade use having the inner cover;
FIG. 11 is a horizontal sectional view of the circuit board
assembly for high-grade use having the inner cover;
FIG. 12 is a plan view of the inner cover having a terminal block
for low-grade vehicles;
FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the inner cover having the terminal
block for low-grade vehicles; and
FIG. 14 is an essential perspective view of an embodiment of a
conventional junction block.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a junction block of the present
invention.
The junction block 1 includes a print circuit board 2 having a
copper core layer midway of the thickness thereof, a terminal block
3 for low-grade vehicles connected to a front portion of the
circuit board 2, a bus bar block 4 for high-grade use connected to
a middle portion of the circuit board 2 in the longitudinal
direction of thereof and superposed on the terminal block 3, a fuse
holder 6 made of an insulation resin and attached to an assembly 5
(FIG. 3) of the terminal block 3 and the bus bar block 4, a
plurality of relays 7 mounted on the circuit board 2, connector
blocks 8 each disposed and connected to the right and the left side
of the circuit board 2, an inner cover (cover) 9 made of an
insulation resin supporting the terminal block 3, the bus bar block
4, the connector block 8 and the fuse holder 6, and an outer cover
10 made of an insulation resin and disposed opposite the inner
cover 9 for supporting the circuit board 2.
FIG. 1 shows that the terminal block 3 is disposed over the bus bar
block 4 and the circuit board 2 is disposed over the terminal block
3. The turnover arrangement is also allowable.
An electronic control unit (not shown) is disposed under the inner
cover 9 in FIG. 1 and a connector portion 11 (FIG. 5) connected to
the electronic control unit is disposed on a rear end portion of
the circuit board 2. The inner cover 9 is fixed to a vehicle body
with a separate bracket (not shown) and the fuse holder 6 has a
cover 6a.
The directions described in the specification do not intend to
specify the direction mounting the junction block 1. The
specification mainly describes the turn-over arrangement of the
junction box. The junction block 1 is also referred to junction box
or electric connection box. The inner cover 9 and the outer cover
10 are also referred to as one cover and the other cover,
respectively.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show a circuit board assembly 12 for low-grade
vehicles.
The terminal block 3 includes a block main body (terminal holder)
13 made of an insulation resin, and substantially L-shaped
terminals 14 disposed layer by layer (four layers in the
embodiment) and parallel one another in the block main body 13. For
example, the terminals 14 of the second layer and the third layer
from the circuit board have the respective terminals with
fork-shaped pinch terminals (terminal portion) 14a, and the forth
layer has a wide terminal having a plurality of pinch terminals
14a. A tab terminal 15 for electrical power supply is formed
integrally with the wide terminal.
The terminals 14 are each inserted into an elongated groove or hole
(not shown) of the block main body 13 and a horizontal portion 14c
adjacent a bent portion midway of the terminal 14 abuts a
horizontal wall surface of the block main body 13. The terminals 14
may be molded integral with the block main body 13. The block main
body 13 of the embodiment is constituted with two parts. The parts
13a, 13b are connected with an engaging means and the terminals 14
each are held between the upper part 13b and the lower part 13
a.
A bottom surface of the block main body 13 is connected to a
surface 2a of the circuit board 2. Each pinch terminal portion
(fuse connection portion) 14a of one side of the respective
terminals 14 projects from a front end of the block main body 13.
Each pin-shaped terminal 14b of the other side of the respective
terminals 14 is inserted into a through-hole 16 of the circuit
board 2 and connected to the print circuit (not shown) on both
sides of the circuit board 2 or the copper core layer disposed
midway of the circuit board 2. The tab terminal 15 for electric
power supply projects from a side end of the block main body 13.
The copper core layer is superimposed between the insulation
boards.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show a circuit board assembly 17 for high-grade
vehicles. The circuit board assembly 17 has a configuration of the
bus bar block 4 mounted on the low-grade vehicles circuit board
assembly 12.
As shown in FIG. 4, the bus bar block 4 includes a block main body
18 made of an insulation resin and having a crank-shaped step with
a side view, and a plurality of power supply bus bars 19 disposed
parallel in double layers on a top and a bottom surface of the
block main body 18.
The block main body 18 includes a plate-shaped thick wall portion
20 at a forward side, a plate-shaped thin and horizontal lower
layer wall portion 21, and a plate-shaped vertical wall portion 22
connecting the both wall portions 20, 21. The lower layer wall
portion 21 extends along the bus bar 19 only by a portion 21a of
the elongated upper and the lower bus bar 19. The lower layer bus
bar 19 (the fifth layer) is short and the upper layer (sixth layer)
bus bar 19 is long. The upper layer bus bars 19 have a variety of
lengths and are arranged straight in the longitudinal direction of
the circuit board 2 (FIG. 3). The terminals of each layer of the
terminal block 3 are disposed on the first to the fourth layer.
The each bus bar 19 is bent along the block main body 18 in the
crank shape. A front end portion thereof has a horizontal pinch
terminal portion (terminal portion) 19a to be connected to the
associated fuse and a rear end portion thereof has a vertical
pin-shaped board connection terminal portion 19b. The each pinch
terminal 19a extends in the order of a horizontal portion 19c, a
vertical portion (bent portion) 19d, a horizontal portion 19e below
the vertical portion 19d, a downward vertical portion 19f, and the
board connection terminal portion 19b.
The board connection terminal portions 19b are mainly solder
connected to the core layer midway of the circuit board 2 (FIG. 3)
or the print circuit (not shown) of the circuit board 2. The core
layer distributes the electrical power. In the embodiment, the
upper layer bus bars 19 are insert formed on the block main body 18
and the lower layer bus bars 19 are fixed to the block main block
18 with a hot adhesion. The upper and the lower layer bus bars 19
are also fixed with insertion mold. The bus bars 19 are prevented
from lifting from the block main body 18 with a transverse rib
23.
As shown in FIG. 3, the lower surface of the upper layer wall
portion 20 of the bus bar block main body 18 for high-grade
vehicles abuts on the upper surface of the upper part 13b of the
low-grade vehicles terminal block main body 13. The terminal
portions 19b of the bus bars 19 are solder fixed to the circuit
board 2 and the upper part 13b of the terminal block main body 13
assures holding of the terminals 14.
FIG. 5 shows a circuit board assembly product 24 having an
essential portion of the junction block for low-grade vehicles.
FIG. 6 shows a circuit board assembly product 25 having an
essential portion of the junction block for high-grade
vehicles.
As shown in FIG. 5, the circuit board assembly product 24 has the
terminal block 3 at the front portion of the circuit board 2, the
connector blocks 8 at both right and left side of the circuit board
2, the plurality of the relays 7 disposed between the connector
blocks 8 and connected to the circuit board 2, and the connector
portion 11 at the rear end portion of the circuit board 2 to be
connected to the control unit.
As shown in FIG. 6, the bus bars 19 backwardly extending from the
bus bar block 4 horizontally pass over the terminals 26 or the
relays 7 of the connector block 8 and are connected to the holes 16
of the circuit board 2 between the terminal 26 and the relays
7.
In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the block main body 13 of the terminal block 3
is formed with a high-heat resistance synthetic resin and the block
main body 18 of the bus bar block 4 is formed with a cheap low-heat
resistance synthetic resin. Since the terminal block 3 directly
contacts the circuit board 2 and is exposed to heat of solder, it
is necessary to use the high-heat resistance resin. Since the bus
bar block 4 is mounted on the terminal block 3 and is not affected
by the heat, the low-heat resistance and low-price resin (for
example PP) is adapted. The example of the high-heat resistance
resin is PPS, PSF, PES and the like well known as super engineering
plastics.
As shown in FIG. 4, the lower layer wall portion 21 of the block
main body 18 of the bus bar block 4 has a rectangular hole 27,
preferably square hole, between the bus bars 19 largely separated
each other. As shown in FIG. 7, the inner cover 9 has a projecting
pin 28 to be inserted into the hole 27. As shown in FIG. 8,
insertion of the pin 28 into the hole 27 assures correct position
of the bus bar block 4 with respect to the inner cover 9. An outer
diameter of the pin 28 is slightly smaller than an inner width of
the hole 27. The pin 28 projects from the lower wall portion 21 of
the bus bar block 14 (FIG. 4) toward the projecting direction of
the board connection terminal portion 19b.
The pin 18 has a female-screwed hole 29 at the distal end. As shown
in FIG. 9, the circuit board 2 has a small hole 30 to accept a
screw. The tip portion of the pin 28 supports the circuit board 2
with a screw 31 fixing the circuit board 2. The pin 28 is also
disposed behind the inner cover 9.
In the embodiment shown FIG. 4, the bus bar block 4 has the single
hole 27. It is preferable to dispose each hole between the adjacent
bus bars 19 in order to cut an integral connection piece (not
shown) connecting the bus bars 19. The hole 27 largest among the
holes is adapted for positioning the circuit board.
As shown in FIG. 7, the inner cover 9 has an extending portion 33
fitting to the step shape of the bus bar block 4 (FIG. 4). The
extending portion 32 is disposed on a forward end portion of a
horizontal wide flat base portion 32. The upper wall portion 20
(FIG. 4) of the bus bar block 4 is positioned to the extending
portion 33 and the lower wall portion 21 is positioned along the
base portion 32.
The extending portion 33 includes a vertical wall portion 34 (FIG.
7) connected to the forward end of the base portion 32, horizontal
short wall portions (second base portions) 35 connected to the
vertical wall portion 34, and side wall portions 36 upstanding
beside of the horizontal wall portions 35. The horizontal wall
portions 35 receive a plurality of ribs 37 upstanding parallel one
another and a columnar portion 38 is disposed along the vertical
wall portion 34. The columnar portion 38 has the upstanding pin 28
at the tip end.
The ribs 37 each have a low projection portion 37a extending
lengthwise along the horizontal wall portion 35 and a high
projection portion (rib) 37b intersecting the vertical wall portion
34. The high projection portions 37b follow stepwise the low
projection portions 37a. The front end of the columnar portion 38
is positioned in flush with the front ends of the high projection
portions 37b.
FIGS. 10-11 show assembling the circuit board assembly 17 (FIG. 3)
of high grade vehicles to the inner cover 9.
The rear end surface (rear surface) of the vertical portion (bent
portion) 19d of the respective bus bars 19 of the upper layer
(sixth layer) of the bus bar block 4 abuts the front end of the
high projection portion 37b of the rib 37. Pressing force caused by
insertion of fuses 39 is thus accepted with the high projection
portions 37b of the ribs 37, and is prevented from being exerted on
the solder connection portions 19b between the bus bars 19 and the
circuit board 2 so that quality of the solder connection portions
is assured.
The bus bars 19 of the upper layer of the present invention are
fixed to the block main body 18 with insertion mold. This
configuration further assures the quality of connection with the
circuit board 2.
The rear end surfaces of the vertical portions 19d' of the bus bars
19' of the lower layer (fifth layer) of the bus bar block 4 abut on
the front end surface of the vertical wall portion 22 of the block
main body. The insertion force of the fuse is thus accepted with
the vertical wall portion 22 and is prevented from being
transferred to the circuit board 2. The fifth layer indicates the
fifth layer counted from the circuit board 2. The terminals 14 of
the terminal block 3 are disposed on the first to the fourth
layer.
The fuse holder 6 made of the synthetic resin is attached to the
front end portions of the block main body 13, 18 of the lower layer
terminal block 3 and the upper layer bus bar block 4, respectively.
The fuse block 40 includes the fuse holders 6 each accepting the
associated fuse 39 in a cavity (receiving chamber) of the fuse
holder 6. In the specification, the lower layer indicates the side
near to the circuit board 2.
The bus bars 19 of the upper layer (sixth layer) of the bus bar
block 4 abut on the low projection portions 37a of the ribs 37 and
are supported integrally with the bus bar block 4. The high
projection portions 37b of the ribs 37 prevent in company with the
low projection portions 37b the stress from being exerted on the
bus bars 19 when the fuses are inserted. The low projection
portions 37a prevent bending (flexure) of the bus bars 19 in the
direction of thickness thereof. The upper layer bus bars 19 can be
separated from the outer surface (upper surface) of the inner cover
9 with the low projection portions 37a so that the insulation is
assured. Pairs of an upper and a lower tab terminal 39a of the
fuses 39 are each press connected to the pinch terminal portions
19a of the associated bus bar 19. The terminals 14a of the terminal
block 3 are connected to fuses 39' of a first and a second
layer.
When the bus bar block 4 is not utilized in the circuit board
assembly 12 in FIG. 10, the assembly 12 has a vacant space at the
bus bar block 4. The fuse holder 6 is commonly used for the
low-grade and high-grade vehicles. Fuses 41 at both sides of the
fuse holder 6 in FIG. 11 are box-shaped fusible links and are
connected to the tab terminal portions instead of the pinch
terminal portions 14a of the terminals 14. The reference numeral 42
indicates the power supply connector connected to the terminal
block 3 or the fuse holder 6.
FIGS. 12-13 show the fuse block adapted for the low-grade vehicles,
which does not include the bus bar block 4 for high-grade use (FIG.
10). The vertical rear wall surface of the block main body (holder)
13 of the terminal block 3 includes a projection (rib) 43 at the
left end side. A rib 44 to be abutted on the projection 43 is
disposed on the inner cover 9 and separated from the rib 37 (FIG.
10) for abutting the bus bar block. The rib 44 is bent in L-shape
and connected to the side wall portion 36 of the extending portion
33 of the inner cover 8. A rib 45 for abutting on a rear end
surface 42a of a housing of the connector 42 integral with the fuse
holder 6 is disposed on the right end side of the inner cover
9.
Abutting the terminal block main body 13 on the rib (at least rib
44) ensures acceptance of fuse insertion force with the rib 44 for
the low-grade specification. Rearward inclination of the terminal
block 3 or an excessive load of stress on the solder connection
between the terminals 14 and the circuit board 2 caused by the
inclination are prevented so that the quality of the solder
connection portion is maintained.
As shown in FIG. 12, the terminal block main body 13 includes a
plurality of grooves 46 and a plurality of through holes 47 in the
direction of height. The grooves 46 and the through holes 47 are
multi-layered (four layers in the embodiment) back and forth and
disposed parallel left and right so that the vertical portions of
the terminals 14 are insert held with the grooves 46 and the
through holes 47. Rear surfaces of the vertical portions of the
terminals 14 abut on rear surfaces of the grooves 46 and the trough
holes 47 to accept the insertion force of the fuses 39'.
Accordingly, the above arrangement accepts the insertion force of
the fuses 39' by supporting the block main body 13 with the rib
44.
In the above embodiment, the circuit board 2 is fixed with the
screw (screw member) 31 screwed together with the screw hole 29 of
the pin 28 of the inner cover 9. The circuit board 2 can be fixed
with a nut (screw member) and a male screw disposed on the tip of
the pin 28 instead of the screw 31.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention provides a single kind of junction block
adapted for several grades of vehicles having different number of
power supply circuits without changing number of layers of fuse
block.
The present invention provides a single junction block commonly
adapted for a low-grade and a high-grade vehicle with a selection
of a bus bar block. A conventional junction block is manufactured
corresponding to the grade of the vehicle. The present invention
thus largely reduces the manufacturing cost.
According to the present invention, three parts of a cover, a bus
bar block and a circuit board are positioned each other. A bus bar
of the bus bar block for high-grade vehicles can be correctly
positioned and smoothly connected to the circuit board. This
arrangement improves efficiency of assembly of the three parts and
increases reliability of electrical connection of the bus bar to
the circuit board.
According to the invention, when a terminal or the bus bar has the
same number of layers as the conventional junction block, it is not
necessary to use a high-heat resistance resin for the bus bar block
and the fuse block can be thus manufactured with low cost.
According to the invention, abutment of the bus bar of the bus bar
block on a rib of a cover prevents transmission of an excess stress
on the circuit board and maintains quality of a connection portion
between the bus bar and the circuit board.
According to the invention, a low projection portion and a high
projection portion of the rib cooperatively prevent load of the
stress on the bus bar during insertion of the fuse.
According to the invention, abutment of a block main body of the
terminal block on the rib of the cover during the insertion of the
fuse prevents transmission of the excess stress to the circuit
board and thus maintains quality of the connection portion between
the terminal and the circuit board. The high-grade junction block
further assuredly exhibits the above effects.
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